Zanzibar Island Tours
Zanzibar Cooking Class & Spice Tour
4.5

Zanzibar Cooking Class & Spice Tour

By Kiyzo
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Ages 0-99, max of 10 per group
Duration: 5h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Air conditioned transportation
  • Guide
  • Cooking class
  • Spice farm tour
  • Local market tour
  • Lunch
  • All cooking ingredients


Start:
  • R5QQ+697, Zanzibar, Tanzania
    Meeting point is OLD FORT ENTRY DOOR Once you arrive, walk to the entry door and stand beside Kindly be on time 9:00 am Regards
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 140215P9

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

    • All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 140215P9

    From
    $57.00
    per adult (price varies by group size)
    Select date and travelers

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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Kiyzo
      160
      Bangkok, Thailand
      Joined in April 2019
    • Diana L
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A wonderful experience
      We were met as arranged and went by boat to the sand bar. We were the first there and were able to walk around, collect shells and swim in the clear water without others around for quite a while. The awning put up for us with groundsheet was perfect and we were each give a large bottle of water and a coke and orange soda. During the morning we were given a very generous tray of fruits which was amazing. We had booked for a morning 4hour trip which was long enough for us as it had got very hot and busy on the sand bar by midday. A perfect experience
      Written November 9, 2024
    • 865kelynnl
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Very cool experience!
      This was great and well worth the money! We went at 9am and were the only ones on the island for a good half hour before the crowd showed up. They brought us fresh fruit and shade. Vendors also come to the island with beer/wine and souvenirs for sale.
      Written October 14, 2024
    • Curious10171102831
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Beautiful waterfall
      Beautiful waterfall this is a must see in Thailand. Was picked up and joined the group. Everything went well on the tour. Definitely recommend it
      Written June 9, 2024
    • Road193120
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good day but not enough time at the falls
      I give this a 4 out of 5 because we had a fun day, enjoyed the rail, lunch was wonderful (it wasn't a picnic, it was a restaurant and it was really good food), swimming in the waterfalls was refreshing and they were beautiful. Having said that it was a very long day. Long ride up and back. There's 7 levels to the falls and we only had time to get to level 4 (we were given 2 1/2 hrs to explore the falls). If the image in the ad is a true depiction, it must be higher up then level 4 because we didn't see anything that spectacular. I would have preferred more time at the falls even if we missed the rail. After the heat of Bangkok, jumping in the falls and going behind the falls was so much fun.
      Written February 17, 2024
    • bas0921
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      SO crowded! Might be worth skipping.
      It’s a beautiful sandbar until it’s completely PACKED with boats parked on both sides and people running across your area as well as the tide coming in. We had about an hour of tranquility until the obnoxious crowds from all nations arrived. We received great service from our captain on the “One Way” boat. He was more than accommodating. However the packed beach and the inconsiderate other beach goers make this an average experience.
      Written December 24, 2023
    • A8812KTjasont
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      beautiful morning
      Nakupenda island is a very beautiful place to visit, our captain took us there, and took care of all our needs, everything was prepared prior, we got to spend a couple of hours there swimming, it is indeed the island of love. i definitely recommend this trip
      Written October 12, 2023
    • lilmomo04
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Beautiful island
      Nakupenda is a beautiful sand bank surrounded by clear blue waters. It’s a short 20 minute boat ride from Stone Town. There are people selling beers, offering hair braid services, henna and massages on the beach. I had an amazing time! Highly recommend visiting this island!
      Written September 3, 2023
    • davesL17WK
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      A disappointing experience
      The main positive thing we got to Nakupenda before most of the people, so we had roughly 20 minutes with only 10 other visitors. It rained most of the time, but it is no responsability of the tour operator. The 2 boat staff who came with us spoke a very basic english, so we had almost no interaction at all. We had to tell them to find snorkeling equipment because otherwise there would have been none. We asked if there was water on board for the trip, and he was offering us his personal water, when there were indeed 8 bottles on, meaning he just understood "water". We bought the self-guided tour, so I have no idea if someone speaking proper english would have been sent for the guided tour. It is also astonishing compared to the average level of english of the other boat owners stopping us in Stone Town roads to sell the same tour. In addition to english, the captain was pretty careless of other boats' integrity, he "pushed" himself inside other two on shore to go back finding a second mask, and while leaving Nakupenda I had to help another boat owner to push our boat from hitting his engine.
      Written August 26, 2023
    • Flying dress Z
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      The best experience
      Everything is beautiful with Zanzibar sandbanks.Early morning we board on a motorized boat to nakupenda island.It is is sooo beautiful 🏖️ sandbank.It was our first time to visit the sandbank in early morning where there is no one.Very calm we had few shots with our client from America she was so excited to have this experience.I will recommend if you want to have amazing experience with the sandbank visit it early around 9:30 or 10 am to have the best experience.
      Written March 14, 2023
    • Shaina Z
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing day at the beach
      Amazing day at the beach.. amazing moment at the prison...felt amazed by the locals ... I trully recomend to visit.. the waters are so cristal clear.. endless blue
      Written January 17, 2023
    • Monica L
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Don’t spend your time and money on this!
      Don’t spent money and your precious time om this! This is just one big tourishippo - unfortunately. We were told by the guide so many time that this was where the locals did their shopping - severals time of the day … I hope not. 80% of the products were souvenirs and just the same that are sold everywhere else in Thailand. It was exiting to se how the sellers managed to move everything from the track at the railwaymarked, but it’s sad to se that we the tourists are the biggest challange. In the floating marked we where placed in the charming boats - but the trip was anything but charming … The sellers were very pushy and grumpy. The bustrip back to Bangkok took over 2 hours because of the trafficjam. Not a good experience.
      Written January 11, 2023
    • Voyager599157
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great trip
      Our tour guide ‘O’ was wonderful and made everything fun. The tour was well-paced and informative. Thanks!
      Written December 29, 2022
    • shanthinid2018
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Horrible tour agency Kiyzo
      We never went to the tour bcoz the pick up place was wrong. We called so many times to get in touch with the company Kiyzo when there was no one picking us up 10 minutes after the arranged pick up time but no one answered. We texted again and again no one replied.After 3 hours the company Kiyzo replies and says that as we were not at the designated place the local tour guide just left us. Why couldn’t the local tour guide give us a call, he must have had our number though we were never given his number! And Kiyzo can admit that there was some miscommunication but they refused to refund us even 50% of our money. And Viator thru which all this was done also did not even want to listen to our side of the story. Don’t ever book with Viator or Kiyzo! Worst experience. Totally ruined our holidays All other tours that we booked during this trip gave us the local tour guide’s number so that we can communicate. In fact in one of the tours we joined one couple were late at the pick up area and she kept calling the couple and gave directions on how to get to the pick up point while all of us waited.! Why couldn’t Kiyzo go a little way to accommodate their customers !!!!!
      Written September 15, 2022
    • volitans54
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Worth it but read up on history first.
      All up it was a pretty good day. I think it could have done with a bit more commentary on the stories behind the tour (eg Thai/Burma POW's, cemetery etc). Response from Kiyzo was good and on the actual tour our guide, Ahteen (apologies if I spelt it wrong) was OK. He answered all our questions but as mentioned we should have been given more history/detail on what we were experiencing. Pick-up/drop off at hotel was prompt. Lunch was sparse but tasty (chicken fried rice,fruit). Vehicles adequate.
      Written August 14, 2022
    • Fearless32743755957
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fantastic day tour
      Beautiful day, nakupenda island . Love island and believe me it is. The best time to visit this love paradise is in the morning before the high tides covers it up during the afternoon hours. We were lucky to make it there on time and spend the whole morning. Snorkeling . We also had lunch, we were served a variety of delicious sea food. One of my favorites was pweza. Recommended
      Written July 23, 2022
    See all 160 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    4.5
    4.5 of 5 bubbles59 reviews
    Excellent
    48
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    5
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    3

    nsantana1092
    Brooklyn, NY107 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles

    This experience was a lot of fun! I met a friend in Tanzania who also joined the tour and we both enjoyed it! The spice tour was cool and tasting a lot of the spices that we picked out was very original! Our guide for the spice tour was so funny and made us feel very comfortable throughout the whole time. My friend and I were a bit hungry so we found the spice tour a little long and we were anxious to get to the cooking haha. The cooking part was great, as well as our professional chef who helped us out. I must say that we made some amazing food that I can't wait to try out at home. I highly recommend this tour. I went during the month of May which is a dead touring season in Zanzibar, but nonetheless I enjoyed the tour because it was even more personal with less tourist 😅

    Written May 21, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Samantha P
    19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2022
    We had such a fun and educational experience! We started late due to traffc but our guides made up for it with such a great time. We went through the market to get fresh ingredients and had some choice in the menu. We traveled out to the spice farm for an informational and fun time - our guide let us smell all the spices and they even put on a show climbing a coconut tree. We laughed, learned and bought some delicious spices. We started cooking and it was so hands on while our chef taught us a lot about their style of cooking. We had a wonderful time and the food was a delicious. Looking forward to trying the recipes at home - thank you for a memorable day!
    Written August 14, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Lisa T
    Rochester, MN35 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2022 • Solo
    The actual experience of the market visit and cooking class were great.

    I did not appreciate what felt like pressure to buy beauty products during the spice farm tour or to tip that guide separately. A tip is given at then end of a tour not along the way to everyone you encounter.

    Another negative was that the cooking class instructor said she would email the recipes. She did not. I do not appreciate being lied to. I tipped her well and should have received the recipes.

    I give it three stars because of the pressure to buy beauty products and tipping the spice tour separately, and the lack of follow through on the recipes. Disappointed.
    Written September 6, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Taan
    Africa9 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2022
    Short version - we were never picked for our excursion for which we paid $216
    & after numerous emails back & forth Kiyzo would only refund $126

    We waited for one & a half hours, send 2 messages & called to no avail. They had eventually offered to take us at a different time although I had pre-booked excursions for our final 2 days. I kept receiving messages & it was spoiling our remaining family time in Stonetown.

    My recommendation is not to book in advance but rather book & pay in person once you are in Zanzibar. There are numerous options for spice tours at every hotel or tourist establishment. Apart from this experience, the Zanzibar & its people are warm, friendly & very hospitable.
    Written April 21, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    christinac0penhagen
    Copenhagen, Denmark16 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb 2023
    The tour starts at the market, where vegetables, rice, chicken and fish are purchased. It is fun if you haven't already been to the markets yourself.

    Thereafter a 30-40 min drive follows to the village. We did not know that the tour also included a spice tour which to us was the highlight of the tour,

    After that, the cooking started in an open hut with five firewood stoves. No chairs or tables. For the participants it was not exactly cooking but solely very, very basic tasks such as cutting potatoes, onions etc. while the tour guide mixed the vegetables/meat/spices in pots and pans. Therefore, do not expect this tour to be an actual cooking class - you do not learn to cook local food, but you see how they cook traditionally.

    The result was quite disappointing ... lacking spices ironically, overcooked and not at all at the level you experience in Zanzibar.

    Would not recommend.

    By the way - we never recieved the recipies ...
    Written February 9, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Laurie E
    2 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Aug 2023 • Couples
    This is NOT A CLASS, there was no instruction and we essentially spent 2.5 hours helping chop vegetables without a cutting board crouched on the ground to help the family prepare a large dinner which they will use to feed themselves for 2 days while we just paid to work for them. Our guide did not explain anything to us and was on her phone the whole time or chatting/joking in swahili to the other people around.

    We have been on other tours where we were engaged with and taught or explained at least some useful information.
    Written August 18, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    lewisvt
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I and my wife decided to embark on a local tour. What more than a cooking class we thought. And that was a good option. We were picked up on time. We went to the food market did some local shopping before heading over to her home to have a nice cooking class. We learned how to cook locally zanzibari style.. our host was very accommodating, funny, and extremely friendly. We had prepared 3 meals and they were all tasty . Nothing like we had tried before. Who knew cooking with coconut could make such amazing tastes. Later we were to the spice farm and learned so much about zanzibari spices. Great day . Great tour. Thank you so much for your service.
    Written October 31, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    rkellee
    San Francisco, CA17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Our tour started in the local market buying the vegetables, fish, chicken, and spices we needed for the cooking class. While the chef left to organize the cooking demonstration we were guided around the spice farm learning about how the spices grew and were processed. Very relaxing and informative walk around the farm.

    Learned how the spices were used while cooking. The cooking demonstration was carried out on coal burning stoves. All the dishes cooked were delicious.

    A memorable experience.
    Written June 29, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    EserMY
    Buffalo, United States15 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2021
    This tour was fantastic and a great way to get to know Zanzibar and the spices grown here. Lutfia and the rest of the guides at the spice farm were all very friendly, knowledgable, and welcoming. It was great being able to purchase the ingredients fresh from the market and support local shops. Being able to taste the different spices and fruits directly on the farm was very cool.

    Unfortunately, one of the people in our party was hit with some heat stroke and we had to leave before we could do the cooking class. Lutfia was very accommodating, helping us arrange transportation back early and offering for us to come back for the cooking class (we couldn't due to our schedule).

    I would definitely recommend taking this tour!
    Written January 9, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    saramurad82
    Kuwait City, Kuwait2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2024 • Family
    This trip was amazing we had so much fun cooking the way people from zanzibar cook. The food was very tasty and the spice farm tour was fun. We asked to be picked up from our hotel for an additional fee and Rashid picked us up with chef Lutfia, they were amazing friendly people we booked another tour with them with the tour guide Mohammad the same day and the day after. They have so many tours highly recommend we had so much fun.
    Written July 9, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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